They Met in a Tavern

June 7, 2021
Menchaca’s moody and entertaining fantasy debut centers on estranged friends who are forced to reconcile to survive. The Starbreakers, a group of “freelancers” consisting of Phoenix, Brass, Church, Angel, and Snow, were once infamous in Corsar for their daring feats and skill as bounty hunters. The group disbanded seven years ago after they accidentally blew up the city of Relgen during a mission, each blaming the others for the disaster. They’ve carved their separate paths since then—but when a mysterious foe offers a reward for their capture, every freelancer in Corsar suddenly turns on them. Phoenix, the Starbreakers’ former leader, knows that getting the gang back together may be their only shot against their assailants—but before they can move forward, they’ll have to confront their past. Menchaca spins a fast-paced story, expertly balancing scenes that tease out the strained dynamic between the Starbreakers with the high-stakes mystery of who has put a bounty on their heads. The thrilling cat-and-mouse game between the Starbreakers and their hunters, however, culminates in a disappointing anticlimax that raises more questions than it answers, setting things up for a sequel that will hopefully provide more clarity. Despite the frustrating turn, fantasy fans are sure to find plenty to enjoy.

July 30, 2021
Menchaca's debut novel follows the Starbreakers, a company of adventurers who became world-renowned heroes as teenagers only to break up bitterly after they failed to prevent an entire city's destruction. In the present, a mysterious client is hiring bounty hunters to track down and capture as many adventurers as possible, with the former Starbreakers at the head of the list. Phoenix, the company's spellforger and new father, stumbles into knowledge of the plot when he runs across former friend and dashing rogue Brass as he's being attacked in his room. Eventually the two decide to try and track down the rest of their fractured company including the cleric Church, the mysterious and powerful Angel, and the ice-powered rogue Snow. Together they attempt to mend the extremely strained relationships between them while figuring out who or what is hunting them all down. While Menchaca's world building can at times owe a very obvious debt to Dungeons and Dragons, he creates a fast-paced and diverting narrative that should keep most genre readers or fans of the game entertained.

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